Simultaneous Multiwavelength Monitoring of a Large Sample of Ecliptic Pole AGNs during the ROSAT All Sky Survey
Abstract
We present initial results of a multiwavelength campaign to monitor variability in 75 Ecliptic Pole Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs). This is the first study of simultaneous x-ray/optical/radio variability on intermediate timescales of weeks to months for a large sample of AGNs, including the first simultaneous x-ray/radio monitoring with weekly sampling (radio) over periods of 2-3 months. High quality optical (Lick, CTIO) and radio (VLA) photometry (2-3%) detected variability in a large number of the AGNs during the ROSAT All Sky Survey. Maximum rates of detected variability at 2 cm were of order 1-2% per day, on timescales of 1-2 weeks. Results of cross-correlations between the x-ray/optical/radio lightcurves are presented with emphasis on results which can be used to constrain current massive black hole (MBH)/accretion disk theories for AGNs. Further study of this large multiwavelength database is expected to yield valuable insights into the nature of energy generation in AGNs through analysis of the observed amplitudes and timescales of variability in each waveband, a search for correlated variations and lags between wavebands, and comparison with predictions from existing MBH/accretion disk models.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993AAS...18310601B